Controller claims that tree growth around the radar site causes aircraft to drop from radar scope.

Attributes
ACN	224360
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cak
State Reference	OH
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	224360
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Trees have grown up around the radar site to the point where they apparently interfere with the radar signal. It appears to be getting worse. It's so bad now it is becoming a common practice to put all aircraft in handoff status so when the beacon is not picked up the ARTS tag will at least stay on the radar and you don't forget the aircraft. The tag won't stay with the aircraft, but at least something is there. If you don't do this you end up working primary targets. Ask any radar controller and they'll tell you how hard that is. This puts a substantial workload on the radar controller. All it takes is for 1 tag to be lost at the wrong time to create a very hazardous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT TREE GROWTH AROUND THE RADAR SITE CAUSES ACFT TO DROP FROM RADAR SCOPE.

Narrative: TREES HAVE GROWN UP AROUND THE RADAR SITE TO THE POINT WHERE THEY APPARENTLY INTERFERE WITH THE RADAR SIGNAL. IT APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE. IT'S SO BAD NOW IT IS BECOMING A COMMON PRACTICE TO PUT ALL ACFT IN HDOF STATUS SO WHEN THE BEACON IS NOT PICKED UP THE ARTS TAG WILL AT LEAST STAY ON THE RADAR AND YOU DON'T FORGET THE ACFT. THE TAG WON'T STAY WITH THE ACFT, BUT AT LEAST SOMETHING IS THERE. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS YOU END UP WORKING PRIMARY TARGETS. ASK ANY RADAR CTLR AND THEY'LL TELL YOU HOW HARD THAT IS. THIS PUTS A SUBSTANTIAL WORKLOAD ON THE RADAR CTLR. ALL IT TAKES IS FOR 1 TAG TO BE LOST AT THE WRONG TIME TO CREATE A VERY HAZARDOUS SIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.